Dust ruffles have been used over the years to decrease dust collection under beds and to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the bedroom. Typically, dust ruffles comprise a piece of decorative fabric attached on three sides to a piece of less costly, flat, sheet-like fabric, which is sandwiched between the box spring and mattress of a bed. The major problem with this design is that the dust ruffle has no structure to secure its position on the bed. In response to the natural movements of sleepers during the night, the unsecured dust ruffle has a tendency to shift from side to side or from the head towards the foot of the bed. Left unchecked, the dust ruffle is no longer evenly distributed on the bed, creating an unsightly appearance.
Initially, dust ruffle users relied on the weight of the mattress to secure the dust ruffle in place, accompanied by regular removal of the mattress from the bed in order to reorient the dust ruffle to its proper position. When this proved unsatisfactory, many dust ruffle users resorted to employing safety pins to secure the dust ruffle to the box spring. Although this approach solved the problem of the dust ruffle's tendency to shift, it had an unsatisfactory side-effect. The weight and the unstructured design of the dust ruffle, in combination with the movements of sleepers, caused the safety pins to strain against and ultimately tear the dust ruffle at it points of attachment. The dust ruffle user had to regularly repair the tears in the fabric or replace the dust ruffle.
In an effort to eliminate the foregoing combination of undesirable characteristics, dust ruffles have been constructed with an elastic means conforming the dust ruffle to the shape of a bed. Although such fitted products have generally proven effective in securing the dust ruffle to the bed, prior designs have not been acceptable for prolonged use. For example, the product described in U.S. Pat. No 4,734,947, utilizes attachment of the dust ruffle to a fitted mattress pad, which overlies the mattress of a bed. Using an elastic means solves the shifting dust ruffle problem, however, it creates at least two additional problems. First, any soiling of the bed sheets and underlying mattress pad which requires removal of same for cleaning, also necessitates cleaning of the dust ruffle. Since most dust ruffles are constructed of decorative fabric which must be drycleaned, the dust ruffle user is forced to dryclean the mattress pad solely due to the attached dust ruffle. This is a costly and unnecessary expense Repeated drycleaning, with its associated chemicals, also decreases the life of the dust ruffle. Additionally, during the period of time that the mattress pad and attached dust ruffle are being cleaned, the dust ruffle user needs a replacement dust ruffle, or is forced to leave the bed with a less-than-finished appearance. Both choices are undesirable.
Secondly, stress is placed on the peripheral edges of the mattress pad, along which the dust ruffle is attached. Over a prolonged period of time, the weight of the dust ruffle may cause the elastic means to lose its elasticity. Additionally, the weight of the dust ruffle tends to pull the edges of the mattress pad from underneath the mattress. Furthermore, weight of the dust ruffle may also cause pulling and tearing of the fabric along the line of attachment, similar to the tears produced by the use of safety pins.